To all 'education activists' that want to join us at the G8 protests!

Dear Education Actvists from around the world,

As you might know students in many different countries are currently struggling to defend their education system from neoliberal reforms – and to shape it to a just and noncommercial system where the principles of solidarity, equality and democracy will be fulfilled.

We, active students from Germany, would like to invite you to join us at the 'Yellow Barrio' (Yellow being the colour of the students movement in Germany since last year!) during the G8 protests. Our aim is to get students from around the world who are struggling against neoliberal reforms within the education system to stay at that particular camp, exchange ideas, experiences and visions. Furthermore this international camp will send out a strong message to those in power and will inspire students around the world, that they are not alone in their fight.

At the beginning of this year thousands of students in Austria protested against tuition fees, after a president was elected who promised to drop the fees during election campaign. Once elected, he 'forgot' what he promised. For many months tens of thousands of students, teachers and workers protested in Greece against the introduction of a new education law, hundreds where arrested and injured. Also students in Germany have been protesting against the introduction of tuition fees and the constant efforts to privatise higher education for years already. Highways and railway stations were blocked, several times thousands of students took to the streets. Many federal states introduced tuition fees recently, so for the first time you need to pay more than 1,500 Euro (tuition fees + admininistration charges) per year to enter university. In every country where tuition fees have been introduced so far, they skyrocketed and it became a luxuary to attend higher education. The same goes for Israel. For over three weeks (since 11/04/2007) students are on strike and on the streets protesting increasing tuition fees. Thousands are demonstrating and blocking main junctions there as well.

These are just a few examples, in many more countries, such as Canada, the U.K., the Philippines, Chile, Mexico, Zimbabwe and the U.S.A. students are struggling for equal access to education as well.

The public education sector is just one of many areas effected by neoliberal reforms. Public services such as health, water, electricity supply, and transport are being privatised around the world. Those developments we can observe almost everywhere on this planet result from the global capitalist system currently in place, which is also responsible for an increasing precarisation. The G8 – consisting of the worldʼs most 'industrialised' and influential nations – symbolises, shapes and supports this system and the inherent necessities that come with it.

Politics nowadays are increasingly done on an international level (see Bologna Process, GATS). Therefore it also takes internationally coordinated resistance to build up pressure and change politics!

Let's learn from each other and get connected! We'll see each other in Heiligendamm and rock G8!

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YELLOW BARRIO F.A.Q.

Who is organizing the Yellow Barrio?

The Yellow Barrio is organized by student activists from grassroot student groups that take part in the widespread protests against the proceeding privatization of the education system in Germany. Our Yellow Barrio will be a part of a large G8-camp, where thousends of people will stay during the G8-summit. The camp is organized by the camping group – its purpose is to organise a number of spectre-overarching, common camps to make protest possible and create protected, peaceful spaces, where people and opinions may meet without disturbing one another.

Where will the Yellow Barrio be errected?

We plan to build the Yellow Barrio at the G8-camp in Reddelich, but depending on the number of expected campers at our barrio, we may have to move to another camp not far away. If we will change place, that will be immediately announced on our website http://www.block-g8ucation.org. If you want to get that information by email, please send your email adress to yellowbarrio(at)block-g8ucation.org .

When will the Yellow Barrio be errected?

Most people will stay at the Barrio from June 1st to June 9th. If you want to help arranging the camp, you are invited to arrive earlier – your help will be needed and would be most appreciated. The camp group starts to errect the camp around May 20th.

Do I have to register in advance?

For the purpose of estimating how much space we'll need, please simply send an e-mail to yellowbarrio(at)block-g8ucation.org as soon as you plan to camp at the Yellow Barrio and let us know with how many other people you will join us. Your feedback will be the only ressource for us to estimate the necessary space. Although we won't reject anybody arriving spontaniously: Please do help us by dropping a short note telling us how many people will be in your group and for how long you plan to stay.

How much will it cost to stay there?

The camp won't be commercial. Nobody will draw any profit from it. Nevertheless, high costs will be incurred, which will make it necessary to raise a voluntary contribution to the camp. As the guiding level, we suggest around 5 Euros per person and per day. The camp may only be a success, if everyone contributes! Camping should not fail because of money, but neither should the camp.

In order to put some money at the disposal of the camp group, we encourage you to transfer the camping fee right away. That would help a lot, because there are many things that have to be paid in advance. If you can't send the money in advance, of course payment ist possible at the camp as well.

Account holder: Verein Kuckuk
Bank: Postbank Berlin
BLZ (bank identification number): 10010010
Konto-Nr. (account number): 454880103
BIC: PBN KDE FF
IBAN: DE 49100100100454880103

What should I bring along?

Bring everything that might be useful to you or others on the camp. We can only provide the basic infrastructure. Your self-organisation skills are in high demand! Tents and camping equipment are absolutely required.

Also bring camping equipment you no longer need (old tents, sleeping bags, isolation mats, dishes,…). At the camp, all this will be needed! Bring whatever you can carry. You can leave these things at the camp information point.

How will I get to the Yellow Barrio?

By public transportation: Reddelich train station is within walking distance to the camp (about seven minutes). There are trains from Rostock every hour between 04:12 AM and 08:06 PM, from Wismar between 04:42 AM and 08:42 PM. The trains will need about half an hour. During the G8-summit the train connections might be interrupted. There are plans to install a shuttle between the camps and Rostock, but at the moment it's still uncertain if it will work out.

By car: This is a car-free camp. If you don't live in your vehicle, please park at the parking lots.

- Arriving from Rostock: Take the B105 towards Bad Doberan, after Bad Doberan follow the B105 three kilometres to Reddelich. The camp ist right behind the limit of the village.
- Arriving from Hamburg: Take the A20 to exit Kröpelin (12), towards Kröpelin. In Kröpelin take the B105 towards Rostock until you reach Reddelich. Alternatively: Take the A20 until you reach the exit Bad Doberan (13), and then take the B105 towards Kröpelin/Wismar until you reach Reddelich.
- Arriving from Berlin: Take the A19 until the motorway interchange Rostock, then change to the A20 towards Wismar/Lübeck. Exit at Bad Doberan (13). Follow the signs to Bad Doberan, take the B105 towards Kröpelin/Wismar. After three kilometres you will reach Reddelich. Alternatively: Take the A20, exit at Kröpelin (12). Follow the signs until Kröpelin, in Kröpelin take the B105 towards Rostock until you reach the limits of Reddelich.

Where can I get more Information?

Contact us via e-mail: yellowbarrio(at)block-g8ucation.org ohttp://www.block-g8ucation.org .

Students of the World UNITE!